Artificial upper denture.



N0. 795,0s4. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905. L. L. WHITE. ARTIFICIAL UPPER DENTURE.

APPLICATION FILE- D JAN.24.1905.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT Orrica.

LOUIS LYNN IVHITE, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES E. LADD, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

ARTIFICIAL UPPER DENTUFIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,084, dated uly 18, 1905.

Application filed January 24, 1905. Serial No. 242.491.

2b all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, LOUIS LYNN WHITE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and 5 State of Oregon, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Artificial Upper Dentures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to dentistry; and its object is to provide certain new and useful improvements in artificial upper dentures whereby the plate is caused to cleave to the roof of the mouth by atmospheric pressure.

The inven tion consists of novel features and I 5 parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a face view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the suction device and connected parts, and Fig. I is a perspective view ofthe plug and its support in separated positions. 3 The denture shown in the drawings consists, essentially, of a plate A and teeth B, and in the said plate and preferably at the middle thereof is held a plug-support O, preferablyflush on both faces with the faces of the plate A, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2. The plugsupport O is preferably made of metal and vulcanized in the plate A in case the latter is made of rubber, and for this purpose the plugsupport O is preferably provided with a pe- 4 ripheral groove O for the reception of the material of the plate A to hold the support in position. In case the plate A is made of metal then the plug-support O is soldered or otherwise fastened in the plate.

The plug-support O is adapted to support a plug D, formed with a head D and a threaded shank I), and the said head D is adapted to fit snugly into a recess O formed in the top of the plug-support O, and the said shank D connected With a vacuum-chamber or a suction device of any approved construction.

Now in order to fasten the denture in position on the roof of the mouth the denture is placed in proper position with the plug I) screwed down in the support O, as plainly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The dentist then engages the terminal E with the recess 1) and turns the tube E to unscrew the plug I) and to screw the threaded end E in to the threaded. aperture O of the support C. Now in doing so the head D is moved out of the chamber O as plainly indicated in Fig. 3, and when the operator now draws the air from the tube E then it is evident that air is also drawn from the space extending between the upper surface of the plate A and the adjacent tissue of the roof of the mouth, and consequently the tissue gradually passes in firm contact with the upper surface of the plate A, so as to make the latter air-tight, and thus cause the atmospheric pressure on the under side of the plate to hold the plate securely in place in the roof of the mouth. As soon as this has taken place the operator turns the tube E in the reverse direction, so as to screw the plug D 5 back into the threaded aperture O and to unscrew the end E from the said aperture. As soon as the head D is again seated in its chamber C the port D is closed, and consequently air cannot pass to that portion of the roof of 9 the mouth covered by the plate.

The arrangement described is very simple and durable in construction, can be cheaply manufactured, and the dentist can conveniently place the denture securely in position.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction of the support and plug described or to the means for withdrawing the air from between the denture and the tissues of the mouth to cause the tissues to conform and adhere to the surface of the denture. For instance, a hole may be drilled into the plate A to receive one end of a tube connected with a suction or vacuum pump to exhaust the air from the space between the plate and the roof of the mouth, with a view to draw the tissues down in contact with the plate. The tube is then removed from the plate and the latter taken out of the mouth of the person, and then the hole in the plate is plugged up with amalgam, cement, or other material. The plate is then again placed in position on the roof of the mouth, the patient by inhaling drawing the air out from the space between the plate and the tissues for the plate to cleave to the roof of the mouth. a

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent-- 1. Adenture provided withascrew-threaded opening, a screw-threaded plug engaging the opening and provided with a longitudinal air-' passage opening below the upper face of the denture and means below the plate whereby the plug may be turned in the opening to close the passage.

2. A denture provided with aplug screwing in the denture-plate and having an air-passage, and a suction device arranged for engagement with the plug to unscrew or to screw up the plug, the suction device being connected with the said air-passage.

'3. An artificial denture provided with a support fixed in the denture-plate, and a removable plug in the said support, provided with an air-passage longitudinally through its stem vided with a head fitting the said chamber, a

threaded shank for engaging the said threaded aperture, and a suction-tube having its end screwing into the said threaded aperture; the suction-tube having a terminal for engaging the said plug to unscrew or to screw up the plug.

6. An artificial denture provided with a support fixed in the denture-plate and having a chamber and a threaded aperture, a plug provided with a head fitting the said chamber, a threaded shank for engaging the said threaded aperture, and a suction-tube having its end screwing into the said threaded aperture; the suction-tube having a terminal for engaging the said plug to unscrew or to screw up the plug, the said suction-tube connecting with an air-passage formed in the said threaded shank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

LOUIS LYNN WHITE.

Witnesses:

J. G. MoLnNNAN, J. H. BEOKLEY. 

